By Jude Atupulazi
For Lady Uchenna Obi (LSM), her choice of the title of her book, ”Praying the Chaplet in Igbo Language…the way we were brought up”, did not come by accident but by a desire to preserve the language.
Lady Obi who stated this during the presentation of her book, also noted that praying the Holy Rosary was a major activity for the Lenten Season, thus, making the book an inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Recalling the prediction by the United Nations Educational Cultural and Scientific Organisation, UNESCO, that the Igbo Language would go extinct by 2025 if nothing was done about it, Lady Obi however said it was not only the Igbo Language that was facing extinction, but indeed, all Nigerian languages.
She said she therefore wrote her book in a mixture of English and Igbo Languages in order to make a case for praying the Rosary in Nigeria’s local languages so that local languages and culture would not die off.
Lady Obi also noted that His Grace, Most Rev Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, expressed the same fear about the Yoruba Language and wished that more people would join in the crusade for preserving their prayers in their local languages; something she described as a clarion call.
‘All hands should be on deck in this battle/crusade so that our local prayers will not fade away. The onus is more on our younger generation.
‘A young mother among us here agrees and responds to me saying…
“Good morning ma. I just read your book and I was smiling all through as I read it. It was beautifully put together and I’m charged to take the task of teaching Igbo to my children seriously. God bless you ma”.
‘There is this story of The Miracle of Lepanto in 1571 which tells how Christian Sailors joined Pope Pius V in praying the Holy Rosary and defeated a much larger Turkish force in a fierce battle and restored the pride of place of Christendom.
‘That is the power of the Holy Rosary and my book urges us to say this Chaplet in the Igbo Language to win our battle against the extinction of our language.
‘This book has the permission of the Catholic Church as the Imprimatur was given by the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, His Lordship Most Rev Dr. Paulinus Chukwuemeka Ezeokafor,’ Lady Obi stated.
‘Apart from the Chaplet and beautiful songs, the book contains these messages that say, “Ndi Igbo gekene nu nti!”; “Ndi Igbo tete nu n’ula”;
Ndi Igbo Taa bu gboo”.
‘This beautiful prayer book applauded Air Peace for the recent introduction of cockpit communication in Igbo Language and says she (Air Peace) has taken the crusade into the open skies,’ she further explained.
The author described the book as a double-edged sword in terms of being what she described as an admonisher and a crusader, noting that the meaning would be found on page 8 of the book.
Fides understands that the book, a simple prayer book, is broken in three parts, viz:
Introduction and Purpose; full Chaplet in the Igbo Language with accompanying Mysteries and Litany, leading up to the concluding prayers.
Part three sums up the booklet with some beautiful edifying spiritual old Igbo hymns and songs, which, she said, brought up memories of the way they were brought up.
‘From page 30 to 43 are these songs: example, page 41 sings, ”Joseph di Maria, na onye nche Jesu”. This is the song of the ongoing Novena to St Joseph.
‘Page 42 contains, ”Welu nu anya na-ene Jesu”, our song for the Lenten season, etcetera. It is said that a person who sings well prays twice,’ she said, imploring readers not to read and dump but to read and encourage others to read and share to every nook and cranny where Igbo people resided.
‘The link on Amazon is attached. It is a family Prayer book.
It is an interesting booklet that will be loved by all, regardless of denomination,’ she said, urging people to buy it as a gift pack for other families, Christmas, Easter, birthdays, anniversaries and also to distribute to religious groups like the Block Rosary Groups, as well as to prisons and hospital wards,’ she said.
Lady Obi said every Catholic should know how to pray the Holy Rosary from childhood and noted that the book urged everyone to pray the Chaplet of Mother Mary with concentration.
